Method and system of installing hvac equipment inlaid in a pre-existing suspended ceiling

ABSTRACT

An installation system that embodies a method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below is provided. The installation system may include at least one novel panel forming a cutout for slidably receiving inlaid HVAC equipment. Each novel panel may be dimensioned and adapted to replace at least one ceiling panel from a suspended ceiling so that each novel panel is supported along its edges by the pre-existing support grid of said suspended ceiling, presenting a uniform and clean look to the room below.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/935,670, filed 14 Feb. 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to HVAC equipment installation and, more particularly, to a method and system for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below.

Buildings are often constructed to include a suspended ceiling, also known as a dropped ceiling, so as to provide a presentable ceiling to a room below. A suspended ceiling comprises an interconnected support grid and removable ceiling tiles positioned within the support grid. Support members, such as framing, wires, tension rods or the like, can be used to support the suspended ceiling from a structural ceiling. The ceiling tiles are typically 24×24 inches or 24×48 inches, and suspended along their edges by the support grid. The use of suspended ceiling creates a functional hidden space often populated with a plurality of HVAC equipment including, but not limited to, conduits, heating (H), ventilating (V), air conditioning (AC) and cooling systems.

Currently, when installing portions of HVAC equipment that protrudes from, is at least flush with, or otherwise inlaid with the suspended ceiling so as to access the room below, one needs to cut and trim up to two to four pre-existing ceiling tiles. Such makeshift installation is time consuming, risks damaging the pre-existing ceiling tiles, and tends to leave a non-uniform, unpresentable ceiling to the room below.

As can be seen, there is a need for a method and system for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a system for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below comprises a pre-existing suspended ceiling comprising a plurality of removable ceiling tiles, wherein each ceiling tile is supported along their edges by a support grid; at least one HVAC equipment having an inlaid portion providing a peripheral flange; and a novel panel for each inlaid portion, the novel panel comprising: a peripheral body defining a peripheral edge; and a cutout formed within the peripheral body, wherein the cutout is dimensioned to slidably receive the inlaid portion but not its peripheral flange, and wherein the at least one novel panel is dimensioned to be supported along its peripheral edge by a portion of the supporting grid.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below comprises the steps of: providing at least one portion of HVAC equipment having an inlaid portion; providing a peripheral flange along a periphery of the inlaid portion; providing a novel panel having a peripheral edge sufficient to accommodate a cutout to slidably receive the relevant inlaid portion; cutting the cutout from the novel panel, defining a peripheral body between the cutout and the peripheral edge; removing at least one pre-existing ceiling tile from a support grid of the suspended ceiling, forming an installation opening defined by a portion of the support grid, wherein the installation opening is approximately the same dimensions of the peripheral edge; and sliding the at least one portion of HVAC equipment through the cutout so that the peripheral flange abuts a portion of the peripheral body, whereby the inlaid portion is inlaid with the peripheral body.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention includes an installation system that embodies a method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below. The installation system may include at least one novel panel forming a cutout for slidably receiving inlaid HVAC equipment. Each novel panel may be dimensioned and adapted to replace at least one ceiling panel from a suspended ceiling so that each novel panel is supported along its edges by the pre-existing support grid of said suspended ceiling, presenting a uniform and clean look to the room below.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, the present invention includes an installation system 100 that embodies a method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below.

The ceiling tiles of a suspended ceiling are typically 24×24 inches or 24×48 inches, and suspended along their edges by a support grid. The support grid may include t-shaped bars and the like. The installation system 100 may include at least one novel panel 10. Each novel panel 10 may be generally rectangular sheets of material that at least shares the properties of a predetermined suspended ceiling tile it may be installed in. In certain embodiments, the novel panel 10 may be made of material that can be repeatedly bent without fracturing, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, nylon, rubber, leather, various impregnated or laminated fibrous materials, various plasticized materials and the like so as to be stronger than the pre-existing ceiling tiles it replaces.

The novel panels 10 typically come in three peripheral sizes, each peripheral size may be congruent with typical ceiling tile sizes. The first peripheral size may be approximately 24×24 inches to replace one 24×24 inch ceiling tile. The second peripheral size may be approximately 24×48 inches to replace one 24×48 inch ceiling tile or two adjacent 24×24 inch ceiling tiles. The third peripheral size may be approximately 48×48 inches to replace two adjacent 24×48 inch ceiling tiles or four 24×24 inch ceiling tiles. It being understood that the dimensions tend to be approximately less in order to accommodate the thickness of the support grid; for example, 48 inches may be closer to 47¾ inches. As illustrated in FIG. 1, one novel panel 10 is placed within a space previously occupied by four removed ceiling tiles. In certain embodiments, each novel panel 10 may be dimensioned and adapted to specifically fit within the support grid of the predetermined suspended ceiling.

Each novel panel 10 may form a cutout 12 or 28 circumscribed by a remaining peripheral body 14. The cutout may be a square 12 shape, a rectangular 28 shape, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, or any other geometric shapes so long as the cutout functions in accordance with the present invention as described herein. Each cutout 12 may be dimensioned and adapted to slidably receive a portion of HVAC equipment terminating in an inlaid portion 16. Each inlaid portion 16 may provide a peripheral flange 22 so as to form a seal along a periphery of the cutout 12 or 28, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The peripheral flange 22 may be connected along a periphery of the inlaid portion 16. The peripheral flange 22 may extend from the inlaid portion 16 so as to be parallel with and adjacent to the peripheral body 14 when the portion of HVAC equipment is operatively installed. The peripheral flange 22 may be connected along the peripheral body 14 by adhesive or other fasteners.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. The installation system 100 disclosed above may be provided. A user may calculate the relevant cutout 12 or 28 sufficient to accommodate a desired portion of HVAC equipment. Then the user may size or dimension a predetermined novel panel 10 to accommodate the calculated cutout 12 or 28 that also provides a remaining peripheral body 14 that can structurally support the novel panel 10 and any load imposed thereon by the desired portion of HVAC equipment. Then the user may remove a sufficient number of pre-existing ceiling tiles from a plurality of pre-existing ceiling tiles 18 so as to define an installation opening 20 of sufficient size to accommodate the predetermined novel panel 10, wherein the installation opening 20 may be defined by the pre-existing support grid. The user may need to remove or cut portions of the pre-existing support grid so that it does not intersect the installation opening 20. The predetermined novel panel 10 is then disposed within the installation opening 20 and supported along its edges by the support grid so that no ceiling tiles or other parts are cut in the installation process. Then the user slides the desired portion of HVAC equipment through the installation opening 20 and installs said portion of HVAC equipment per relevant specifications so that the inlaid portion 16 may be at least flush with, protruding from or otherwise inlaid with the relevant cutout 12 or 28. Finally, the user may connect the peripheral flange 22 along the periphery body 14, sealing said relevant cutout 12 or 28, thereby presenting a uniform and clean look to the room below.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below, comprising: a pre-existing suspended ceiling comprising a plurality of removable ceiling tiles, wherein each ceiling tile is supported along their edges by a support grid; at least one HVAC equipment having an inlaid portion providing a peripheral flange; and a novel panel for each inlaid portion, the novel panel comprising: a peripheral body defining a peripheral edge; and a cutout formed within the peripheral body, wherein the cutout is dimensioned to slidably receive the inlaid portion but not its peripheral flange, and wherein the at least one novel panel is dimensioned to be supported along its peripheral edge by a portion of the supporting grid.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge is an approximate 24 by 24 inch square.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge is an approximate 48 by 48 inch square.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge is an approximate 24 by 48 inch rectangle.
 5. A method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below, comprising the steps of: providing at least one portion of HVAC equipment having an inlaid portion; providing a peripheral flange along a periphery of the inlaid portion; providing a novel panel having a peripheral edge sufficient to accommodate a cutout to slidably receive the relevant inlaid portion; cutting the cutout from the novel panel, defining a peripheral body between the cutout and the peripheral edge; removing at least one pre-existing ceiling tile from a support grid of the suspended ceiling, forming an installation opening defined by a portion of the support grid, wherein the installation opening is approximately the same dimensions of the peripheral edge; and sliding the at least one portion of HVAC equipment through the cutout so that the peripheral flange abuts a portion of the peripheral body, whereby the inlaid portion is inlaid with the peripheral body.
 6. The method of claim 5, further including removing any portion of the support grid intersecting the installation opening.
 7. The method of claim 5, further including installing each portion of HVAC equipment.
 8. The method of claim 5, further including connecting the peripheral flange to the portion of the peripheral body. 